Here are some of the key research awards received by College of Medicine faculty during December. In all, College of Medicine faculty received 13 new research awards totaling $2.5 million in new funding.
Shilpa Buch, Ph.D., pharmacology and experimental neurosciences, has received a National Institutes of Health R01 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This $1.5 million award will further Dr. Buch’s work on the neuroprotective effects of the novel factor, platelet derived growth factor-B chain (PDGF-B). The proposal aims to understand the molecular mechanisms by which PDFG-B chain reverses the combined deleterious effects of HIV-1 protein TAT and cocaine on neural progenitor stem cells. It is expected to provide useful information on the potential benefits of PDFG-B chain on other neurodegenerative diseases as well.
Matthew Zimmerman, Ph.D., cellular and integrative physiology, has received a $300,000 sub-award from the National Institutes of Health through the Redox Biology Center COBRe from the National Center for Research Resources. Dr. Zimmerman administers the Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Facility for the Redox Biology Center. This core provides services to investigators interested in measuring levels of free radicals in various biological samples.
George Rozanski, Ph.D., cellular and integrative physiology, has received a $130,000 sub-award from National Institutes of Health through the Redox Biology Center COBRe from the National Center for Research Resources. Dr. Rozanski is a collaborating faculty member of the Redox Biology Center lending his expertise in the role of reactive oxygen species in experimental models of heart failure such as chronic myocardial infarction and diabetes mellitus.
Kenneth Azarow, M.D., surgery – pediatric general surgery, is the UNMC lead on a National Institutes of Health R01, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Development collaborative award through Columbia University. Dr. Azarow will lend his expertise in the surgical treatment of children with congenital birth defects. This multi-site study proposes to use changes in gene copy number to locate patterns of genomic aberration in children with congenital diaphragmatic hernias using genome wide oligonucleotide microarray technology.
John Bertoni, M.D., Ph.D., neurological sciences, is the UNMC lead on a National Institute on Aging collaborative award through Creighton University. One of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease is fatigability that is induced by activity or exercise. Fatigability has deleterious effects on the independence and quality of life in patients who have Parkinson’s. Dr. Bertoni will be recruiting suitable Parkinson’s patients along with matched normal volunteers for this research study.
Alicia Schiller, cellular and integrative physiology, and Panagiotis Koutakis, surgery – general surgery, are recipients of the American Heart Association (Midwest Affiliate) Predoctoral Training Awards. The awards provide support to individuals before they’re ready to conduct independent research. They are designed to help trainees initiate careers in cardiovascular and stroke research while obtaining significant research results under the supervision of a sponsor or mentor.
Julia Bridge, M.D., pathology and microbiology, has received a grant from the National Childhood Cancer Foundation, which supports clinical and biological research conducted at childhood cancer treatment and research centers in North America. Dr. Bridge’s project will explore the DNA sequence variations in undifferentiated sarcomas such as rhabdomyosarcoma.
Babu Padanilam, Ph.D., cellular and integrative physiology, has received an award from the Diabetes Research and Education Foundation. The objective of Dr. Padanilam’s proposal is to determine if renal denervation prevents the pathophysiology of diabetic nephropathy and to define the mechanisms by which renal nerve activation instigates inflammation and fibrogenesis in Type 2 diabetes kidneys. It is hoped that this work may provide a conceptual framework for identifying novel therapeutic targets of diabetic nephropathy.
Paul Judge, M.D., a first-year resident physician in otolaryngology/head & neck cancer, was one of the authors of a study that determined that people who snore have the potential for adverse health outcomes. The study found that people who snore have a significantly greater risk of having intima media thickness (IMT) of the carotid arteries. IMT is widely regarded as a precursor to atherosclerosis. Dr. Judge presented the results of the study last month at the Triological Society’s Combined Sections Meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz. The story was featured on the Jan. 26 newscast of NBC Nightly News.
Industry-sponsored contracts
Hani Haider, Ph.D., orthopaedic surgery, has received two contracts for materials testing joint replacement materials.
Lori Maness-Harris, M.D., internal medicine – oncology/hematology, is the UNMC lead on a Phase III clinical trial on the use of a new drug for the treatment of Severe Veno-Occlusive Disease (VOD). Severe VOD is the most extreme form of liver venous blockage, often as a result of cancer treatments, and is associated with multiple-organ failure and high rates of morbidity and mortality.
Diana Florescu, M.D., internal medicine – infectious diseases, is the UNMC lead on a survey of prophylaxis and treatments in small bowel transplantation.
Information on clinical trials enrolling patients at UNMC is available here.